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Author Topic: Construction of a historic gardening shed  (Read 20367 times)

Matt T

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Re: Construction of a historic gardening shed
« Reply #30 on: April 11, 2014, 12:31:15 PM »
Attractive a robust. That 'shed' will last hundreds of years. Such a worthwhile project, keeping traditional crafts alive and a very impressive garden feature.
Matt Topsfield
Isle of Benbecula, Western Isles where it is mild, windy and wet! Zone 9b

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ashley

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Re: Construction of a historic gardening shed
« Reply #31 on: April 11, 2014, 02:05:08 PM »
"Well wear" Anne.  I hope it gives you great pleasure (once the stress abates :P ;D)
Sharing it here has been a treat for the rest of us already.
Ashley Allshire, Cork, Ireland

Anne Repnow

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Re: Construction of a historic gardening shed
« Reply #32 on: April 11, 2014, 02:12:02 PM »
Thank you, Margaret.

In Aberdeen it would have to be granite, though, Maggi, wouldn't it?
Anne Repnow gardening near Heidelberg in Germany
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Anne Repnow

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Re: Construction of a historic gardening shed
« Reply #33 on: April 14, 2014, 06:16:29 PM »
The roofers have arrived and put up a little scaffold.

After measuring the tiles they have marked the beams to ensure the correct and even spacing of the slats.

The master roofer is trying to show his new apprentice how to hammer in one of those long nails in the correct place. The poor lad was yelled at a lot because he seems to be all thumbs (bad thing when handling a hammer...).

All the slats are in place.

The last slat is doubled up. That way the angle of the last row of tiles is less steep and the flow of rain water gushing down the roof is slowed.



Anne Repnow gardening near Heidelberg in Germany
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Anne Repnow

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Re: Construction of a historic gardening shed
« Reply #34 on: April 14, 2014, 06:40:50 PM »
At regular intervals notches have to be cut into the lowest slats - for the fastenings of the rain gutter. I had to put my foot down in order to make sure it is a copper gutter and not one of those made of zink-coated tin. 

Unfortunately the poor lad is not only all thumbs but not a great mathematician either. He cut the notches in the wrong intervals, a lot of shouting ensued and a new slat had to be attached (on both sides of the roof). Meaning the master roofer had to drive off to organise new slats. Not a great deal you might think. BUT. As the little house originates from the North of Germany, the roof is constructed differently from what is the rule here. The beams are built further apart, the slats are therefore more massive. This size of slat is not "off the shelf" material for a roofer here.

A master carpenter is called to cut and put up the oak boards at the front and the back of the roof - they will keep the wind from getting under the tiles.
Anne Repnow gardening near Heidelberg in Germany
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Anne Repnow

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Re: Construction of a historic gardening shed
« Reply #35 on: April 14, 2014, 06:47:48 PM »
Ah - and thank you Matt and Ashley for your kind comments!
I was so intent of posting todays progress that I didn't notice them until now.  :)

Anne Repnow gardening near Heidelberg in Germany
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Margaret

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Re: Construction of a historic gardening shed
« Reply #36 on: April 14, 2014, 09:05:01 PM »

Looking even better, Anne. It's going to be very beautiful.

I got a new shed on my allotment recently and although it's just a functional ordinary thing it has given me a much needed incentive to be more tidy as well as a lot of pleasure.
Margaret
Greenwich

Anne Repnow

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Re: Construction of a historic gardening shed
« Reply #37 on: April 27, 2014, 09:31:29 PM »
Sorry, folks, I was extremely busy in the past couple of weeks. But things have developed...
Here is the gutter-story.

The braces for the rain-gutter are attached to the slats.
The rain-gutter has been cut to (the wrong) size, soldered and attached.
A strip of copper sheet is attached to make sure the water doesn't splash the wooden slats.

Anne Repnow gardening near Heidelberg in Germany
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Anne Repnow

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Re: Construction of a historic gardening shed
« Reply #38 on: April 27, 2014, 09:57:20 PM »
One of the things I was very busy with these last days was worrying... and being exasperated...

The rain-gutter-man obviously never worked on an old roof with handmade tiles. The gables are formed by oak boards which are supposed to prevent the wind from getting under the tiles. And the rain-gutters are supposed to be short enough for the boards to cover them. It looks silly now - and the boards were divided on two sides. Two points of dispute with the roofer. Who of course told me it had to be this way. I gave in in the end... :-\

But I stood up to absolutely not accepting the fact that there isn't enough room between the tiles and the rain-gutter. I cannot get my hand in - let alone clean the gutter with a gutter-brush (which will be necessary because of the cherry tree). Amazing. Neither the rain-gutter-man nor the roofers noticed this problem though they worked on the roof together.



« Last Edit: April 28, 2014, 10:32:00 AM by Bolinopsis »
Anne Repnow gardening near Heidelberg in Germany
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Anne Repnow

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Re: Construction of a historic gardening shed
« Reply #39 on: April 27, 2014, 10:20:49 PM »
The roofers... At first they weren't really too sure about how to roof with the help of straw bundles - as you can see.... These are supposed to prevent blowing snow from getting under the tiles. And experienced roofers of historic houses claim that placing the tiles in a bed of straw makes positioning them correctly easier.

Eventually "my" roofers got the hang of it. It looks rather pretty from below. In case you wondered: It stays that way. The straw will probably house all sorts of creepy-crawlys and eventually it may rot. But until then I'll enjoy it.

Eventually the tiles for the roof ridge are laid in a bed of mortar.
Anne Repnow gardening near Heidelberg in Germany
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Anne Repnow

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Re: Construction of a historic gardening shed
« Reply #40 on: April 27, 2014, 10:39:50 PM »
Now to the problem that has really been giving me nightmares. I was so excited when the house arrived in bits and the framework was constructed that I didn't realise it was sitting too low. The ground slopes on two sides and although the foundations are visible at one corner the frame of the door sits over 20 cm below the ground.

Over the last couple of weeks it has dawned on me that half my garden would have to be dug up and removed if we ever want to be able to open the door of the wee house. (My husband tried to dig away at my worries... as you notice in front of the door-frame.) As it is supposed to house the lawn mower etc. steps are not a solution.

I was soooo angry with myself for not noticing this problem while a solution would have been simple...  :-X

Anne Repnow gardening near Heidelberg in Germany
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ChrisB

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Re: Construction of a historic gardening shed
« Reply #41 on: April 28, 2014, 06:16:28 AM »
Such an interesting roof construction.  I couldn't quite picture how the tiles were going to sit on the straw but now I see.  I assume they also nail the tile down.  I saw these copper(?) gutters on buildings last year in the Czech Republic.  They look very sturdy compared to our plastic ones but they probably have to deal with more winter snow than we normally get too.  Sorry your doorway has caused such trouble!  Hope you get it sorted soon.
Chris Boulby
Northumberland, England

Brian Ellis

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Re: Construction of a historic gardening shed
« Reply #42 on: April 28, 2014, 09:18:23 AM »
Nice workmanship with the straw, it looks very attractive from inside doesn't it.  Hope you can get the other problems easily rectified Anne.
Brian Ellis, Brooke, Norfolk UK. altitude 30m Mintemp -8C

David Nicholson

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Re: Construction of a historic gardening shed
« Reply #43 on: April 28, 2014, 09:59:18 AM »
That's my kind of planning Anne ;D
David Nicholson
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Anne Repnow

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Re: Construction of a historic gardening shed
« Reply #44 on: April 28, 2014, 10:25:55 AM »
@ David:  ;D - I'm glad I'm not alone...

@ Brian: Thank you, a few hurdles to take as yet.

@ Chris: They actually do not nail the tiles down. The tiles have a little "nose" on one side which hooks on the wooden slats. That's all. The gap between some of the tiles seems to be awfully big (and facing westwards). I'll wait for the next storm and see what happens  ;). The chap from the roofing firm told me they would replace those tiles in case the rain got in. Fortunately I have a lot of tiles left...

As to the rain-gutters. Generally they are made of zink-galvanised tin over here - indeed, plastic ones wouldn't take the weight of the snow. However, many people prefer copper because it looks nicer (and lives longer).

Anne Repnow gardening near Heidelberg in Germany
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